Primozone is redefining ozone technology with its high performance cold plasma ozone generators. The Primozone GM-series ozone generators are built on patented cutting-edge technology that enables ozone production with a very high concentration (up to 20 wt%) and at a very high outlet pressure. The GM ozone generators are energy efficient, maintenance free and have a low life-cycle cost.

Primozone was founded in 2000 by the entrepreneur and electro engineer Jan Borgström. He is the brain behind the technique for the high ozone concentration and the energy effective construction. When Borgström worked with ozone generators in the mid-1990s he realized that they were energy consuming, hard to operate and inefficient. Borgström was convinced that he could develop a much more efficient and operator friendly ozone generator and started developing the Primozone Technology.

Since 2003, Primozone Production AB is wholly owned by Westfal-Larsen Technology of Bergen, Norway. The W-L group is a family-owned group of companies founded in 1905. Primozone is one of several companies within Westfal-Larsen Technology AS, all of whom are active within high-technology R&D products. The W-L group is an industrial owner who has invested several million Euros in the development of the Primozone’s Ozone Generator.

Today the Primozone Ozone Generator is a proven concept. It is sold worldwide and used for different industrial water treatment applications in different countries.

Patented technologyThe patented, cutting-edge technology behind the Primozone ozone generator is setting the standard for a new generation of ozone generators. The high ozone concentration, the small size and the low life-cycle cost are all features that differentiate the Primozone Ozone Generator from conventional ozone generators. At Primozone we are leading the development of innovate ozone technology for water treatment.

Quality managementAt Primozone we are committed to efficient production management and environmentally friendly processes. Primozone is therefore certified according to both ISO9000 and ISO14000 and all products are CE-marked. This is important as all research and development as well as assembly is made in-house at the Primozone facility.

A partner in ozone water treatmentAt Primozone a lot of effort has been put into research and development and we are cooperating with different universities and other partners to develop new applications and improve existing ones. The result of this research and cooperation is now an important part of the Primozone offer. At Primozone we are devoted to, not only provide our customers with efficient ozone generators and ozone water treatment systems, but also to provide a lot of knowledge about ozone and its different applications for water treatment. Primozone is a complete partner in ozone water treatment.

Its compact size means oxygen doesn’t have to travel as far as in a conventional glass tube technology reactors, enabling more efficient conversion of gas. The reactor’s compactness also means naturally higher gas output pressures, key to the Primozone generator’s remarkable ozone concentrations and subsequent dissolution in water.

Cool To The CoreAnother unique feature of Primozone ozone generators – the electrical power units and reactors are fully integrated in the water cooling system and cooled internally (in the generator) This means there is no need for a closed air-conditioned space for the generator, allowing a smaller system footprint and lowering energy use. The efficiency of temperature control also improves ozone production, as high temperatures have a negative impact on ozone formation.

A “No Need To Clean” Promise You Can KeepA Primozone ozone reactor needs no cleaning – its robust all-aluminum design and the high gas pressure ensure that no contaminants will stick to its surface, thus securing maximum up-time.

Modular Means OptionsPrimozone ozone generators are much smaller than traditional alternatives, and designed to work as a modular system to meet required capacities. That means a smaller footprint, as you can install the capacity you need without oversizing. It makes retrofitting simpler, as Primozone generators will easily fit in the space a larger traditional generator once occupied. There’s no need to disrupt production during service, as linked generators continue ozone production even when one is offline. And as your needs change, you can simply add new modules – Primozone ozone solutions can grow as quickly as your capacity needs grow.

For larger applications, traditional ozone thinking means high volume ozone generators designed to meet peak capacity needs. And duplicates to back them up.

With Primozone ozone generators, meeting peak capacity is spread over a number of modules. There is no reason to oversize. Needless to say, the space and capital investment savings this represents can be significant.

The modular design also means Primozone generators are easy to retrofit into an existing facility – their smaller size will easily fit into the space needed for traditional ozone generators. As your needs change, you can simply add a new Primozone module to meet it.

Advanced Ozone Generation ControlThe Primozone control philosophy makes it easy to confidently set ozone production levels and monitor critical values. It provides a good overview of real time system operation parameters, such as oxygen and energy use, while also providing historical data that can be used to benchmark performance.

Built-in alarms provide production disturbance alerts which are then logged automatically. Alerts can be set to be sent via sms, or to external control systems. The controller can also be accessed remotely (over the internet), giving the operator the same control they would have onsite.

The modularity of the Primozone technology minimizes stand-by needs. Traditional ozone generators require installation of a duplicate of each ozone generator for backup. With Primozone, you will need (at most) to add a module that represents 50% of the capacity. In this case you only need a stand-by module that represents 25% of the overall capacity with a total saving of ≈ 40% in CAPEX.

The modularity of the Primozone technology minimizes stand-by needs. Traditional ozone generators require installation of a duplicate of each ozone generator for backup. With Primozone, you will need (at most) to add a module that represents 50% of the capacity. In this case you only need a stand-by module that represents 25% of the overall capacity with a total saving of ≈ 40% in CAPEX.

OZONE IS A NATURAL GASOzone is an unstable gas with a very short half-life, which means that it reacts and disappears very fast. Ozone exists naturally in the atmosphere where it is a vital gas that protects us from harmful UV-radiation. The highest concentration of ozone is found in the stratosphere, which is also called the ozone layer.

Ground-level ozone is a greenhouse gas and can be harmful to the environment due to its high oxidation potential. Ground-level ozone is created as a reaction from certain air pollutants and sun light (UV-light), called the photolysis reaction. The highest levels of ground-level ozone are found in much polluted cities like for example Mexico City or Huston, Texas.

Ozone produced by ozone generators is harmless to the environment.

WHY OZONE?Why ozone oxidation is the most efficient and the most environmentally friendly way to clean and treat water.Ozone oxidation is by far the most effective water treatment process. It is also the most ecologically sound process as ozone is a natural gas that breaks down into oxygen within a short period of time.

What makes ozone this effective is its high oxidation potential (2.07V), i.e. its potential to react with other substances. The oxidation potential of ozone can be measured by the redox potential and comparing, ozone is about five times more oxidizing than oxygen and about twice as oxidizing as chlorine. Ozone has a well-documented kill rate of microorganisms such as fungus, bacteria and viruses. The high kill rate makes it possible to shorten the retention times and use smaller reaction tanks compared to disinfecting with other oxidants. In other words the investment cost for tanks and treatment plants are reduced considerably.

Apart from killing microorganisms ozone can be used to controls taste, odor and color. It can also be used for flocculation of organic material which simplifies for mechanical filtration.

THE OXYGEN – OZONE CYCLEOzone is essentially made up by oxygen.

When an oxygen molecule (O2) is exposed to electric high voltage (or UV-light in the stratosphere), the oxygen molecule (O2) is split into two oxygen atoms (O1). The oxygen atom (O1) then connects to oxygen molecules (O2) and ozone (O3) is formed.

Ozone then reacts with other substances and the single oxygen atom (O1) disconnects from the ozone molecule (O3), which then again turns into an oxygen molecule.

Ozone cannot be stored and transported like other industrial gases, because it quickly decays into oxygen and must therefore be produced on site.

In the atmosphere ozone is generated when UV-light splits oxygen molecules into single oxygen atoms (radicals). When ozone is generated industrially it is produced either with cold plasma (also called dielectric barrier discharge method), corona discharge or UV-light.

Cold plasma (dielectric barrier discharge)

Cold plasma is defined as a gas which is partially ionized (a few percent) and is created in room temperature or lower. The ionization of the gas, in this case pure oxygen takes place between two electrodes which are separated by an insulating barrier (dielectric barrier). When the plasma is formed oxygen molecules are split into single oxygen atoms which then recombine with O2 and forms ozone (O3).

Cold plasma ozone generators utilize oxygen as the input source, and used to produce ozone with a concentration of about 5-7%. Recently developed technology enhancements make it possible to produce ozone with a concentration of up to 20% or more from on-site-produced oxygen.

Corona discharge method

The production of ozone with the corona discharge method is very common for industrial applications. It produces ozone by channeling air into a corona discharge tube, in which plasma is created by applying a strong electrical field. The plasma created disassociates single oxygen atoms which then are free to recombine with oxygen molecules and thus create ozone. The difference between the cold plasma ozone generation and the corona discharge ozone generation method lies in the means used to create the plasma and the feed gas used. Corona discharge generators also create nitrogen oxides (NOx) which will if water is present react and produce corrosive nitric acid (HNO3).

Special considerations

The difference between available ozone generators lays in the arrangement and design of the high-voltage electrodes. The gas temperature is important factor when it comes to ozone generation efficiency. The gas temperature is often controlled by cooling water and the cooler the water the better will the ozone synthesis work. Ozone reactors can only be built with a few materials due to the high reactivity of the ozone. Materials like stainless steel, aluminum, glass, polytetrafluorethylene, or polyvinylidene fluoride may be used. Viton may also be used but only for a limited time and with the restriction of constant mechanical forces and absence of humidity.